Abstract
According to Randy Alcorn, money has two faces. It is used to feed, clothe, house, build churches, spread the gospel, alleviate suffering, and provide betterment for people. Money is a tool to facilitate and expedite trade. It allows flexibility and convenience. God encouraged the people of Israel to make use of the convenience of money. But it is also used to buy a slave, swindle a widow’s land, purchase sexual favors, bribe a judge, and peddle drugs (33-37). Paul warns about the other side of love for money: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:9-10). Numerous biblical incidents and characters warn against the danger of the love for money. Achan’s lust for materialism brought death to himself, family, and other men in battle (Josh. 7), the Prophet Balaam would have cursed God’s people for payment from Balak (Num. 22:4-35), Delilah betrayed Samson to the Philistines for a fee (Judg. 16). Jesus warns against any form of excessive love for money: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). This paper demonstrates the role the love of money plays in Antoinette’s tragedy in Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.
Presenters
Seodial Frank DeenaProfessor, English, College of Arts & Sciences, East Carolina University, North Carolina, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Colonialism, Capitalism, Materialism, Exploitation, Slavery, Alienation
